中 "Mourning Hwaseong Fire Victims... Demanding Cause Investigation and Family Support from Han"

Among 22 People, 17 Are Chinese
"Condolences to Injured and Families of the Deceased"
Chinese Ambassador Visits Accident Site Late at Night

China expressed condolences to the victims, including Chinese nationals, who died in the fire disaster at a battery manufacturer in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, and demanded a prompt investigation into the cause of the accident from the Korean side.

Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated at a regular briefing on the 25th, "Twenty-two people died in the major fire on the 24th, and preliminary findings indicate that 17 of the deceased were Chinese nationals," adding, "South Korea is conducting further investigations and confirmations regarding the specific cause of the fire and the casualty situation."

On the 25th, firefighters are conducting a search at the scene of a fire at a primary battery manufacturing factory in Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang aymsdream@

Spokesperson Mao said, "We deeply mourn those who tragically lost their lives in the accident and extend our sincere condolences to the injured and the families of the deceased."

The Chinese government said it is closely monitoring the casualties caused by this fire. Mao explained, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy in South Korea immediately activated the consular protection emergency mechanism to fully carry out emergency response and post-accident work. Ambassador Xing Haiming rushed to the fire site that night to assess the accident situation, progress of search efforts, and recovery procedures, and listened to briefings from the Korean authorities in charge."

The Chinese side requested the Korean government to investigate the cause of the accident, provide medical treatment to the injured, handle post-accident arrangements, and cooperate with the families of the Chinese victims.

Ambassador Xing Haiming visited the fire site late the previous night and said, "We express our condolences to the victims and sincerely offer our sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured," adding, "We are doing our best to cooperate with the Korean side in managing the aftermath of the accident."

The police secured a list of workers who were working at the factory during the fire through manpower agencies the previous day and have largely identified the victims. Among the 23 deceased, it is estimated that 5 were Korean, 17 Chinese, and 1 Laotian.